Dear Aphrodite
by Pixielullaby
Summary: One shot. Annabeth and Clarisse. Annabeth has an unpleasant wake up call. Clarisse sooths her.


Just a little one shot.

Disclaimer: Oh you, always with the jokes.

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The ground was relatively cold under her ribs but she didn't mind at all, even though she was barely dressed for sleeping outside in Spring weather, with just a thin tshirt on and a pair of panties.

The blanket thrown over her was hardly doing anything to keep the cold away, it was simply there because it was the decent thing to do while sleeping half naked in the middle of the woods.

Her fingers twitched against heated skin as she began to move slightly, just waking up, but the body next to her didn't seem to mind a bit either.

Strong hands moved gently across her back, fingers bunching the blanket in an attempt to pull the small blonde closer.

Calloused fingers ran expertly through loose strands of hair as the brunette finally began to stir.

Limbs stretched in all directions before simply falling back into their original positions.

It amazed the Athenian daughter to no extent just how naturally the two fit together in practically every aspect, almost like two perfect puzzle pieces clicking into place.

The way her soft, dainty hands fit so wonderfully in the warrior's rough palms and the way those same palms, so used to wielding weapons, were shaped perfectly to hold her hips, or on rare occasions cup her bottom.

Chapped lips found their way to a cold forehead and Annabeth was instantly pulled flush against an incredibly toasty demi-god.

The muscled fighter was impossibly warm -Which wasn't completely unusual in the Ares cabin- even laying relatively naked on the forest floor.

The endless heat source, as it seemed, fell asleep left only with a bra and panties on, and still managed to produce a few beads of sweat along her neckline.

Annabeth was quite the thinker, and armed with prior knowledge to her partner's sleeping habits, she knew that though the older girl was aware enough to try and share her warmth, Clarisse wasn't waking up anytime soon.

She decided to revel in her lover's warm embrace instead of making any attempt to persuade her girlfriend into consciousness.

She was amazingly content, as she always was waking up next to Clarisse, but today was particularly breezy.

She lifted her head in search of clothes and just as quickly as she laid her eyes on Clarisse's sweatpants, she laid her eyes on something else.

Her breath caught in her throat and as a reflex she reached for her champion to defend her.

Most children of Ares were heavy, as well as grumpy sleepers, which seemed to be the case in this situation.

"Clarisse." Annabeth hissed as she smacked the older girl's stomach.

"No.." The fighter groaned, tilting her head away from the blonde.

"Wake up!" She said urgently, shaking Clarisse's shoulders.

"What?" The brunette rolled her eyes as she looked back to her lover.

The slight fear in her eyes lead the warrior to one obvious answer.

"Annie, we're outside. Spiders live outside. I'm not getting rid of a spider if it's outside." She huffed.

The Athenian girl pursed her lips waiting for a second acknowledgement, but after realizing that Clarisse really wasn't going to relocate the spider for her she had to rely on her own quick wit.

"Fine. It's crawling over _your_ clothes anyways." She stated matter-of-factly.

The champion's eyes widened as she quickly rolled over to see that her spider-fearing girlfriend was right.

She took in a deep breath and let it out forcefully, causing the arachnid to fly some feet back and away from their cozy little area.

"Thank you.." Annabeth breathed out quietly.

It wasn't often that she succumbed to embarrassment, but her fear of spiders, even small ones such as the previous, was a natural Achilles to most Athenian children, and though she was no exception, her pride was still obviously wounded.

Clarisse wasn't dumb by any means, she was extremely skilled in battle strategy, handy in combat, and she had a natural talent for anything related to war, but comparing that to Annabeth's intelligence was like comparing a mutt to a scientist, and while Clarisse was fearless, it didn't make her stronger.

"I love you, you know that?" Brown eyes asked to pale blues.

"Why?"

Now, in all her years, with all her wisdom, the one thing Annabeth Chase has never been able to understand, was Clarisse's love for her, though she understood her own toward Clarisse without difficulty.

The normally loud and outspoken girl had a knack for amazing the wise girl.

Clarisse, with her hard exterior and fearless stupidity wasn't much more than a champion to others, but to her girlfriend she was everything.

She was a warrior, a lover, and an equal, and while both would admit that their intellectually and passions varied greatly, they were also incredibly matched.

Clarisse was her absolute soul mate, and she'd swear it in from of anyone or anything from tree frog to Aphrodite, that she loved her bullheaded partner with all her being.

Logically, Clarisse loving her back was almost a must, but love wasn't the logical thinking or reasoning that Annabeth was used to, it was feeling and caring, and with the amount Clarisse was able to feel, matched with her most common interests, it made no sense to love someone with the qualities held by the blue-eyed camper.

"I couldn't tell you.." She smiled softly, moving a curl of hair from her girlfriend's face. "But I do.. I love every little thing you do. I love every part of you, with every part of me.. By gods."

"By Aphrodite?" Annabeth asked with a slight blush.

"By Aphrodite, and Ares, and Athena, and even Hera.." She smirked, leaning up to kiss her lover's tinted cheek.

"Really?" The blonde smiled.

Clarisse nodded.

"By gods.. To the gates of Elysium.. With each and every moment from here to then. I'll love you until I can't exist to love you.. I'd love you even then, I wouldn't be able to stop even if I'm gone." She added, allowing her sweet side to show, just for Annabeth, who was silently crying with a smile on her face.

"I love you too.. In all your mule-headed glory." She joked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Hey, I'll remember that comment the next time you see a spider in the forest."

Fear flashed quickly behind the eyes of the smaller girl and Clarisse pulled her into a tight embrace as an apology.

"I'm kidding.." She whispered as Annabeth started to relax. "I promise I'll do anything for you, Princess.. I'll never let another spider touch you, big or small, I'll beat them back to Tartarus with Maimer."

"Lamer.." She mumbled.

"I heard that." Clarisse smirked.

Annabeth responded by pressing her lips against the warrior's in a word-less apology.

The two smiled as they parted and the younger girl settled her head in the crook of the brunette's neck, nose rubbing slightly against surprisingly soft skin.

Clarisse wrapped both arms around her lover, keeping her as close as possible.

"I wonder if the gods can see us.." She voiced after a few minutes of bliss silence.

"Why?" Annabeth asked for the second time already that day.

"Isn't Aphrodite supposed to be able to see things like romantic declarations?" She stated more than asked. "I guess I was just hoping that.. Nevermind."

"Tell me, I'll wait.."

Clarisse wasn't especially gifted in voicing her thoughts or feelings, so most of the time it took her a while to find the right words, which was something the younger camper was quiet used to by now.

"It's just.. I don't know, I was kind of hoping she heard me." She shrugged, looking up to the sky to avoid Annabeth's gaze. "It's like.."

"Keep going.." She assured as she traced small patterns on her girlfriend's bare stomach.

"If Aphrodite heard me, I would have had to have said something really special.. It's not that I need confirmation or anything but.." She sighed.

"It's okay.." The wise girl said softly, placing a light kiss on Clarisse's shoulder.

"I mean, I just wanted it to be something that.. That she noticed. Like.. Like, a moment where our love was stronger or.. More, than anyone else's. As if she just had to look down and see how much I love you.. As if us loving each other was just too beautiful to look away from.." She smiled shyly. "I don't know.. I probably sound crazy."

"You sound perfect to me."

"You are perfect to me.." The warrior smiled.

Chapped lips met a still cold forehead and Annabeth listened as Clarisse's breathing evened out and her heartbeat became more regular.

The blonde smiled and closed her eyes, falling into a light sleep as well.

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 _ **A/N**_. Just another one shot. I'm starting to update every Tuesday and Thursday, be sure to check up on the account for new stories. Remember to review, good or bad, and PM me prompts, pairings, and suggestions. I read EVERYTHING and I appreciate your beautiful brains! I love hearing from you!


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